Balukh’s handcuffs were removed during "trial"

The lawyer has achieved justice in the "court" of the occupiers

SIMFEROPOL / AQMESCIT (QHA) -

April 4, the "Supreme Court" of Crimea considered a complaint of defence of Ukrainian activist Volodymyr Balukh on the extension of the preventive measure, during which handcuffs were removed from the Ukrainian, according to the report of the human rights organization Crimean Human Rights Group.

Balukh himself was not brought to the court building, since at present he is in the temporary detention center of the town Razdolne, the participation of the Ukrainian in the court session was organized via video link.

“During the trial Volodymyr Balukh was handcuffed, which is a gross violation of the principle of the presumption of innocence. After the lawyer made a relevant statement, the handcuffs were removed from the Ukrainian," human rights activists said.

The Ukrainian and his defense also told the court about the violation of Balukh's right to defense, as the activist's participation in the court session through videoconference deprives him of the opportunity to communicate privately with the lawyer, which is part of the right to defense.

In this regard, the meeting will be continued on April 5. The lawyer after the meeting went to Razdolne to talk with his client.

Earlier, the Commissioner of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine for Human Rights Lyudmila Denisova appealed to the Russian Ombudsman Tatyana Moskalkova with a request to check the conditions of detention in the isolator of the Ukrainian political prisoner in the occupied Crimea Vladimir Balukh, who was beaten by escorts.